I Don't Scam Friends

Cursing aside, the Xia family still had to be paid. Once rules were set, they had to be followed. Even Hong Tan had prepared himself to sell the research center, hadn't he? Su Yu said nothing more. After arranging everyone's tasks, he immediately launched into his recruitment drive. …… Su Yu ignored the Myriad Races Academy entirely. Yet the Myriad Races Academy showed no signs of quieting down. Not long after Xia Qing challenged Zhu Hong, another student from the Myriad Races Academy challenged the Top 100 Rankings. That student made no claim about being Su Yu's friend; he simply challenged a member of the Single Divine Character Faction and beat him mercilessly. The challenger said nothing, but with a precedent already set, many people automatically categorized him as Su Yu's friend standing up on Su Yu's behalf. That was the brilliance of their scheme! The first time, Xia Qing had made the connection explicit. The second time, no explanation was necessary. Stating it aloud would have looked too obvious, like stirring up flames on purpose; it was better to leave the crowd to fill in the blanks themselves. Both challengers had targeted members of the Single Divine Character Faction. The malice was far too specific—if not directed by Su Yu, who else could have instigated it? Discerning people saw through it, while the undiscerning could only take the spectacle at face value. …… Yangxing Garden. Su Yu could not be bothered with those antics. Minor squabbles and a tarnished reputation could be resolved soon enough. The most pressing task was getting the research institute off the ground and deriving the aperture-merging method. In the Special Class District. Without hesitation, Su Yu knocked on the door. The moment it opened and Wu Lan appeared, Su Yu cut straight to the chase before she could utter a word: "I invite you to join the Primordial Spirit Aperture Research Institute! Don't let rumors sway you—I don't even know those Myriad Races students. We're old friends; are you really going to believe those foreigners over me?" Wu Lan froze, staring at him in silence. Su Yu wasted no time and pressed on. "The institute is in dire need of top-tier talent! As I recall, during the Nanyuan assessment, you had mastered thirty-three languages and ranked first across all of Nanyuan..." A look of pride washed over Wu Lan's bewildered face. Indeed, she had ranked first in the cultural exam! "That was only because they didn't have test papers for every language I knew! Back then, I actually knew thirty-six languages!" Wu Lan held her head high. *You, Su Yu, can't compete!* *When it comes to this, you're just an amateur compared to me.* *Back during the cultural exam, I beat you by over a hundred points!* Su Yu smiled. "Which is precisely why I call you top-tier talent. Over the past few months, you must have learned even more languages, right?" "Of course!" Wu Lan boasted, "I'm extremely talented with an extraordinary memory! Ever since reaching Yangxing, my learning speed increased even more. By now, I've mastered fifty-two languages!" Reaching Yangxing naturally accelerated one's learning. In a little over half a year, even someone as busy as Su Yu had learned thirty-eight languages. Before that, he had only known twenty-two. Wu Lan mastering fifty-two languages was respectable, but cultivation had clearly slowed her pace compared to her single-minded focus in intermediate academy. "Impressive!" Su Yu praised, "The institute needs elite talent like you, and we only invite the best! Take Hu Qiusheng, for example—he's mastered seventy-seven languages and over a thousand cultivation arts. Or Jiang Mu, who knows more than ten thousand historical chronicles... Or Xia Huyou, who can rattle off information about the myriad races at the drop of a hat..." After casually dropping those names, Su Yu swiftly added, "Are you interested? Do you know what we're researching? Have you heard of the Primordial Spirit Aperture?" Su Yu's eyes shone. "Once we deduce the location of the Primordial Spirit Aperture, our names will go down in history! We will be recorded in the annals of humanity, even the annals of the myriad races!" Wu Lan stared at him blankly before asking tentatively, "I... Can I join too?" "Of course!" Su Yu smiled warmly. "Talent—especially top-tier talent—is what I strive for! Join us, and let us strive together to sacrifice and labor for the rise of humanity!" "..." Looking at him, Wu Lan suddenly felt that Su Yu was glowing all over! It was not an illusion! He truly seemed to be radiating light. Wu Lan stared in a daze. Su Yu maintained a gentle smile, his apertures slightly unsealed, the pure acupoints glimmering with faint luminescence that looked exceptionally radiant in the setting sun. "Wu Lan, I invite you once more to join us. Are you willing?" Wu Lan hesitated for a moment before asking, "If I go... what will I do?" Su Yu said solemnly, "You will serve as the Head of the Breakthrough Team! You will lead others to tackle critical problems. My Senior Sister, for instance, will work under your leadership!" "Senior Sister Wu Jia... will answer to me?" "Yes!" Su Yu nodded with absolute sincerity. "Because I know you are a deeply responsible and hardworking person. Long ago, you took part in researching and deducing cultivation arts, so you already possess experience in this field!" "Naturally!" Wu Lan nodded, secretly feeling a flutter of pride. *You got that right.* *I really do have experience!* *Me, Head of the Breakthrough Team?* *Usually, only research giants hold positions like that. Am I... really qualified?* Feeling a tiny twinge of worry, she asked, "Then what difficult problem are we facing right now?" *She's already saying 'we'!* Su Yu was thrilled. *Excellent, looks like she's on board.* Naturally, he did not point this out, quickly saying, "Our first hurdle is a small complication. We need to compile the innate techniques and foundational cultivation arts of the myriad races into classifications, writing a brief summary for the arts and innate skills of every race." Su Yu continued briskly, "There's not actually that much. The Library has records and some compilations, but its archives are incomplete." Su Yu explained, "We need a more comprehensive database to classify them. Integrating records is something humanity has always done, but past classifications were based on race and combat strength rather than cultivation arts." Su Yu shook his head. "Such a classification is simply unscientific!" Wu Lan looked slightly puzzled. *Unscientific?* Classifying by race, strength, and population seemed like the most sensible way to understand those races. Seeing her confusion, Su Yu promptly added, "We are researching cultivation arts, divine characters, and apertures. Different research requires different classifications. That is why we must organize these records ourselves. I am entrusting this momentous task to you. Do you think you can accomplish it?" Su Yu then added, "It must be fast—speed is crucial! Moreover, we must gather more comprehensive materials since the current ones are lacking. Organizing records of thousands, even tens of thousands of races, will be a monumental headache, but I need speed. It must be completed in very short order!" Wu Lan felt the pressure mount and asked hurriedly, "How soon does it need to be done?" "Preferably within a week!" Su Yu said solemnly, "This is merely the beginning. If we cannot even handle the starting stage, there will be countless obstacles ahead. I don't want to wait years or decades to produce results! I want it done faster!" Wu Lan felt immense pressure! Organizing the records of thousands of races and reclassifying them within a single week... The difficulty was staggering. The tasks of the Breakthrough Team truly were formidable! Wu Lan asked seriously, "Can we recruit more people?" Su Yu shook his head. "Wu Lan, this research institute involves humanity's top secrets. Don't think we're just playing around because of our age! Right now, only those who have earned our trust can join. People like you and me are trustworthy; others in the academy might not be!" Su Yu continued earnestly, "So this time, you, me, my Senior Sister, Hu Qiusheng, and the others will consolidate the work together. We will all contribute our strength, so you don't need to feel overwhelmed!" Wu Lan nodded, though she still felt tremendous pressure. *Fair enough. Since it's confidential, we really can't recruit recklessly.* Su Yu continued, "There's one more thing. Right now, our institute is penniless. We have no startup capital! We all have to pitch in! I'm responsible for purchasing a defensive formation array worth tens of thousands of merit points!" "Instructor Zhao Ming is responsible for procuring instruments and experimental materials, which will also be an enormous expense." "Hu Qiusheng, Jiang Mu, and the others need to buy vast quantities of cultivation arts, reference texts, illustration manuals, and research materials to furnish the institute..." Su Yu sighed. "If you want to join, you will also need to help fund our setup. I ordered a large batch of rubbings from the Library that costs three hundred merit points. If you are willing to front the money and retrieve them..." "Three hundred points?" Wu Lan blinked, thought about it, and nodded. "Fine. Everything is hard at the beginning; I understand!" "Thank you!" Su Yu said gratefully, "All accounts will be recorded, and I will repay everyone in full later on. If anyone feels embarrassed to ask for repayment... well, there's no need for that, or once results are produced, everyone will get priority access. All expenses incurred today, including future compensation, can be offset by our findings!" Wu Lan nodded and made no objection. Three hundred merit points was not a small sum, but it was manageable for her; she had the money. "Then without further delay... Wu Lan, I still have other matters to attend to. Would you like to assume your duties right now, head over to the Library, and collect the materials?" "Right now?" Wu Lan glanced outside. It was nearly dark, and she hadn't even eaten dinner yet. Su Yu nodded. "Every second counts! Our time is precious—every single minute is of supreme value!" "Then... all right!" Wu Lan nodded. "I'll head to the Library first. Once the materials are purchased, should I transport them back to the institute?" "Yes!" Su Yu handed her a key. "This is the key to the institute's front gate. Don't lose it. Although we don't have much inside yet, this is our future base, and one day it will be a crucial stronghold for humanity!" With that, he peeked inside her villa at the decor and smiled. "Conditions over there are a bit harsh, and I don't know if you can endure hardship. If you feel it's unsuitable, do you think you should hire people to move your furnishings over? For the near future, we will likely need to eat and live at the institute." Wu Lan's villa was lavishly decorated and packed with belongings, mostly purchased on her own dime. *Why let them go to waste?* *Our institute doesn't even have chairs to sit on right now, and buying new furniture costs money.* *Moving it over would be perfect!* Wu Lan replied offhandedly, "I can just buy another batch of daily necessities later..." "That's far too wasteful!" Su Yu frowned. "Our institute is already short on funds. We shouldn't waste money on things like that. This villa belongs to the academy, but the institute is our own! You might live there permanently in the future, so this place... can just serve as a rest stop. Don't waste your things; just find a few people to move them over!" "All right, then!" Wu Lan nodded. Though she found Su Yu rather stingy, she figured the institute had just launched and was tight on cash, so being frugal made sense. "I'll have people come move them right away..." "Thank you so much!" Su Yu did not stand on ceremony, quickly adding, "I still have other matters to handle, so get to work. Keep it up!" "..." Watching him sprint off, Wu Lan felt a bit dazed. *Me... Head of the Breakthrough Team?* Once Su Yu had vanished from sight, a surge of excitement bubbled up within her! *I am the Head of the Breakthrough Team!* *Researching the Primordial Spirit Aperture is of paramount importance, and I am the vanguard tackling the critical problems!* *Wu Jia and the others will all have to follow my directions and assist me!* *Has Su Yu... put too much trust in me?* Clutching the institute's key in her hand, she marveled that he had entrusted such an important item to her! The next moment, Wu Lan shouted to the Guards stationed in the distance, "Uncle Wang, call a few people over to help me move my things..." *I'm moving!* *Yes, and afterward I need to head to the Library to purchase a batch of records.* *I have officially entered the field of research!* Soon, members of the Guards arrived to help move her belongings. Moments later, Lin Qing came looking for her. Staring dumbfounded at the bags and boxes being hauled out, Lin Qing was bewildered. What was happening? *Is she moving?* "Lanlan... what are you doing?" Wu Lan glanced at her and smiled. "Sister Qing, it's nothing. I'm heading out to take up my post at the research institute." "The research institute?" "That's right!" "Which research institute?" "...That's classified!" "..." Lin Qing was speechless. Who would take a mere student? Then a thought struck her, and she froze. "The newly founded Primordial Spirit Research Institute?" "You know about it too?" Wu Lan was surprised. Lin Qing was thoroughly exasperated. *Nonsense, who else would take you besides that one?* "Even... even if you're joining, there's no need to move out, is there?" "Sister Qing, you don't understand!" A look of delight and pride surfaced on Wu Lan's face. "I am going there to serve as Head of the Breakthrough Team! The responsibility is immense, and I'll be far too busy to come back here and sleep!" "I can't talk any longer, Sister Qing. I have urgent business and need to make a trip to the Library..." Wu Lan had no time to chat—every second counted! "Uncle Wang, just deliver these to the newly opened Primordial Spirit Research Institute. And get a few more people to come with me to the Library to haul materials..." Wu Lan barked out instructions swiftly and set off toward the Library. A sense of glory swelled in her heart! *I am one of the founders, and I am building this institute from the ground up.* *In the past, my sister and the family never let me take part in family affairs. Now, I am taking charge of my own life!* *I can stand on my own two feet!* *Su Yu entrusted such a momentous task to me; I must work twice as hard!* …… Watching her hurry off, Lin Qing was still bewildered. *She's gone?* Glancing at the emptied villa, her expression turned gloomy. *You're joining an institute... why did you tear down your living quarters?* *Head of the Breakthrough Team?* *How many people are even in that entire Primordial Spirit Research Institute?!* *Where did a Breakthrough Team even come from?!* "Has this silly girl... been scammed by Su Yu?" Lin Qing felt a throbbing headache. Things were bad; her master wasn't around. She was away on the All-Heavens Battlefield! Should she look for Elder Wu? She had to report this to prevent Wu Lan from being swindled by Su Yu. Moving into the institute permanently simply would not do. …… Su Yu cared nothing for any of that. Having secured Wu Lan, he raced toward his next destination. Zheng Yunhui! Yes, that was his next target. At Zheng Yunhui's residence. The moment Su Yu stepped through the door, he declared, "Do you want to merge apertures quickly, reach Wanshi quickly, and complete the Wanshi Realm rapidly? If you do, lend me money—lend me twelve thousand merit points to buy a defensive formation array! You're wealthy; you made a fortune working with me last time!" It was precisely because Su Yu had helped him make so much that he came seeking him out. If it were merely about borrowing, Xia Huyou had money too. However, Su Yu did not feel like borrowing from him again. Zheng Yunhui was loaded, having reaped immense profits during their last venture. Zheng Yunhui was left stunned. *Holy crap, you're asking for over ten thousand right off the bat—is that appropriate?* *These aren't Anping coins, these are merit points!* Su Yu said solemnly, "If you trust me, join in; if not, forget it! I, Su Yu, will never let my friends suffer a loss, but I will never let my enemies profit either!" With that, seeing Zheng Yunhui hesitate, he turned around to leave. Zheng Yunhui hurriedly called out, "Don't rush off! At least explain what's going on!" *Is this another chance to strike it rich?* *What does he mean by rapidly entering the Wanshi Realm?* *What's the catch?* To be frank, his first collaboration with Su Yu had yielded a colossal fortune, so he was more than willing to work together again. He had even been grumbling that Su Yu hadn't brought him along to fight for secret realm slots last time. Granted, the pairings were random, but had he known how powerful this guy was, he could have pulled strings to enter alongside him and pocketed a free slot. Now that Su Yu had come knocking to collaborate, he naturally wanted to learn more. Perhaps he could join in. "You're a smart man, so let's cut the nonsense. I only came to you because I trust you. Buy an array plate, and consider it a loan from you. I will compensate you later. Twelve thousand points is no small sum, but for me, Su Yu... if I truly want to make money, it isn't hard!" Su Yu said briskly, "I sold the Soul Devour Art to the Xia family! But besides the Soul Devour Art, I possess quite a few other cultivation arts, such as the Yuan-Purifying Art that cleanses apertures. Truth be told, if sold, it wouldn't go cheap either! Three months. If I haven't repaid you within three months, the Yuan-Purifying Art belongs to you, and your Zheng family will have the right to teach it externally. How about that?" Zheng Yunhui's eyes lit up. "A technique that purifies origin qi? How many apertures does it open?" "Thirty-six!" "Not bad!" Opening too many apertures was actually a drawback. For an auxiliary technique, thirty-six apertures fell well within an acceptable range. Zheng Yunhui calculated rapidly—he wouldn't lose out! This deal was viable! "How effective is it?" "As effective as mine!" Su Yu unsealed his apertures, dazzling brilliantly like radiant suns! Zheng Yunhui stumbled back several steps. He already knew Su Yu's origin qi was remarkably pure, but witnessing it up close was thoroughly shocking. "Fine!" Zheng Yunhui agreed quickly. "Deal. Procuring an array plate, right? Twelve thousand points is steep—that's enough to buy a formation plate capable of warding off the prying eyes of Sun and Moon experts. That covers defense, but what about an offensive array plate? Shouldn't you buy one in case someone tries to force their way in?" "If you have the money, buy one as well." Zheng Yunhui calculated rapidly. "I won't take advantage of you. Twelve thousand merit points for the defensive array plate, and eight thousand points for an offensive array plate capable of dealing with Shanhai experts. Of course, under a relentless assault by a Shanhai expert, it won't hold for long, but this is the academy. A brief assault will give the academy time to react. Its primary purpose is to stop people from sneaking in... Totaling twenty thousand merit points! If you can't pay me back in three months, the Yuan-Purifying Art belongs to me. Any objections?" "None!" *He truly is wealthy.* The guy had made a fortune last time, and now he was emptying his pockets. Zheng Yunhui pressed hurriedly, "Then what you mentioned earlier about rapidly entering Wanshi..." "That's confidential and currently under research. We'll see when the time comes." Zheng Yunhui felt an itch in his heart. "Can I visit your research institute? Don't worry, I won't spy on your secrets; I'll just lend a hand..." "Sure!" Su Yu agreed without hesitation. *Of course you can, I have no objections.* *Next time I'm short on cash, I'll hit you up again!* Once in debt, one ceased to worry—Su Yu had completely abandoned all restraint! With Marquis Xia owed three hundred thousand, this guy owed twenty thousand, Zhao Ming needing several thousand for instruments, Xia Huyou pitching in, and Wu Lan too... Since he was already drowning in debt, taking on a bit more hardly mattered! …… Having handled Wu Lan and Zheng Yunhui in succession, Su Yu let out a breath. Done! The array plates were settled, the reference materials were settled, and the workforce was secured. The next step was finding suitable races, unsealing their illustration manuals, or finding matching cultivation arts from the manuals he had already unlocked. There was strength in numbers! With more people, more languages mastered, and knowledge of more races, unlocking manuals could be approached with clear targets. He also needed to find an opportunity to track down the Heavenly Archer Cult's treasure. With such staggering debts, he had to pay them back. Naturally, he would only venture out after reaching Wanshi. For now, Su Yu had no intention of leaving the academy. Faint whispers drifted toward his ears. They were talking about him! Su Yu sneered internally. *Xia Qing... Myriad Races students.* *They certainly have some nerve!* *Did they take me for an easy target?* *Ignoring you once wasn't enough; you had to pull this a second time, and a third!* Checking the time, he saw that night had just fallen. Without wasting words, Su Yu walked toward the Myriad Races Academy. It was time to foster some "goodwill"! Lest things seem too abrupt later on! …… At the Myriad Races Academy. Su Yu donned a cloak, asking several people along the way before finally locating Xia Qing's residence. He knocked on the door. Xia Qing opened it. The two elders inside had vanished; Xia Qing already knew it was Su Yu. She assumed Su Yu had come to hold her accountable, but he did no such thing. The moment the door opened, Su Yu complained, "Princess Qing, our friendship wasn't supposed to be leaked! Now... sigh, everyone knows. Even coming to see you has become a headache!" Xia Qing paused momentarily, quickly displaying an apologetic look. "I am so sorry. I didn't think it through before. I assumed... humanity wouldn't be so repulsed by allied races. My apologies, Classmate Su Yu." "Just call me Su Yu!" Su Yu pulled down his hood and gave a wry smile. "May I come inside to talk? I'd rather not be seen; I've had quite a headache over the past few days." "Please, come in!" Xia Qing stepped aside quickly to let Su Yu enter. Su Yu subtly glanced at the hidden tail, catching a brief glimpse before averting his gaze and looking no further. This was the first time he had seen Xia Qing's true appearance, which looked quite frail and delicate. Naturally, Su Yu felt no emotional stirrings. *Never judge by appearances!* Inside, the environment was luxurious and well-appointed. Xia Qing invited him to sit and prepared to pour tea. Su Yu rose quickly and said, "I can pour it myself. Princess Qing, please don't stand on ceremony! I have no complaints regarding your actions—I know you meant well for me. But today, that fellow Niu Zhen suddenly challenged a student from the Single Divine Character Faction... What was that about?" "It's my fault!" Xia Qing blamed herself. "I shouldn't have told everyone that Su Yu was friendly and kind toward us, treating us without the prejudice common among humans. I don't know if Niu Zhen overheard that and felt compelled to step in so you wouldn't be bullied... Su Yu, if you feel it's inappropriate, I can have him make a public explanation." "There's no need!" Su Yu sneered. "The fools in this academy just echo whatever they hear! If humanity treats every single race as an enemy, could we possibly withstand all the myriad races combined? Shortsighted fools! We must ally with some among the myriad races! Principal Wan understands this, and so do I! Truly discerning people know that we cannot antagonize every race!" Hearing this, Xia Qing hurriedly chimed in, "Su Yu, your words truly vindicate us!" Su Yu smiled. "Hardly. Don't misunderstand, Princess Qing; some people simply lack clear heads. The true elites of humanity recognize that Principal Wan's policies and ideals are correct, so there is no need to dwell on idle gossip!" Su Yu added with a smile, "My visit today isn't to blame anyone... I only came to remind Princess Qing that this cannot continue. I might not be affected much, but for you all... targeting the Single Divine Character Faction so overtly is ill-advised!" Su Yu said in a heavy voice, "The students of the myriad races came to the Great Xia Prefecture to build goodwill with humanity, not to make enemies! Truth be told, I'd love nothing more than to see the Single Divine Character Faction wiped out, but that is impossible, and I certainly cannot drag you into the mire. You need to cultivate good relations with them. Their faction holds tremendous influence in both the academy and the Human Realm. Offending them will bring you no benefit whatsoever." Su Yu laughed self-deprecatingly. "Fifty years ago, my Multiple Divine Characters Faction still wielded immense influence, but not anymore! I am only warning you because we are friends; otherwise... I'd gladly watch you fight them to the death. I, Su Yu, am hardly a saint. If we didn't know each other, I would happily sit back and watch the show even if you fought to the bitter end. But now... that won't do. Respect me by an inch, and I will respect you by a foot!" Su Yu smiled. "So, Princess Qing... don't let impulse get the better of you. There is very little I can do to help you. When it comes to the Single Divine Character Faction, apologize if necessary. I won't mind, nor will I take it the wrong way. We cannot ruin the bigger picture over personal friendships!" Xia Qing looked surprised, putting on a frail demeanor. "Does Brother Su mean to say... that I was wrong?" "No, no!" Seeing her pitiful and delicate appearance, Su Yu explained hurriedly, "I'm not saying you were wrong. Truly, I am deeply grateful that you stood up for me! But precisely because we are friends, I must advise you. If we weren't friends, I wouldn't bother meddling. At worst, I would step forward and declare that you aren't my friends at all, and that none of this has anything to do with me!" Su Yu gave a wry smile. "But as things stand... My father taught me from childhood: be ruthless to enemies, but be sincere to friends! Princess Qing, even if not for yourself, think of your race. The Cloud Tiger race is not strong—that is simply the truth. If you offend the Single Divine Character Faction... will you have any peace in the future?" Xia Qing appeared terrified. "They won't target us, will they?" "Hard to say; those people are rotten to the core!" Su Yu gritted his teeth. "Princess Qing, it would be best for you to swallow your pride and apologize!" Xia Qing looked troubled. "Then what about your side... Am I... causing you trouble?" "Not at all!" Su Yu laughed heartily. "If minor trouble like this could break me, I wouldn't have survived this long! I've just been too busy lately to bother with them..." "Because of the Primordial Spirit Research Institute?" "Princess Qing knows about that too?" "Yes, everyone is talking about it." Xia Qing smiled gently. "What a pity that I belong to an outside race; otherwise, I would have loved to lend Brother Su a hand..." "Forget it for now." Su Yu shook his head. "We cannot accept students from other races at this stage. Princess Qing, forgive my bluntness! In our startup phase, admitting students from the myriad races would bring me endless trouble!" "I completely understand, Brother Su; don't overthink it. It's just a pity that I cannot share some of your burden... Brother Su is one of the few elite prodigies among humanity who genuinely considers our perspective..." Su Yu smiled. "Actually, most people understand, but few are willing to step forward! There's no need to share my burden. If I truly need help, I won't hesitate to ask. We'll see how things develop. By the way... if I may venture to ask..." Su Yu looked somewhat embarrassed. "Can your Dao Protectors leave the academy grounds?" "Huh?" Su Yu said awkwardly, "I might need to travel outside soon, but... my teacher isn't here, Grandmaster is in secluded cultivation, and Martial Uncle cannot get away. Truth be told, I don't dare step outside right now for fear of mishaps. But I have urgent business that may require me to leave soon. Princess Qing, if your Dao Protectors aren't busy... could they escort me on a trip outside?" Xia Qing's heart stirred! "Well... normally speaking, they cannot. Dao Protectors must remain in the academy, or accompany us when we venture out..." "Then forget it." Su Yu shook his head in disappointment. Xia Qing smiled. "Brother Su, have you encountered a difficult problem? If you truly need help, I could simply accompany you on your trip. That way, my Dao Protectors could come along..." "Forget it!" Su Yu shook his head. "It's dangerous outside. Powerful Dao Protectors are one thing, but Princess Qing... I don't mean to discourage you, but I speak plainly: if you come along and run into danger, I won't be able to answer for it! Aside from ruining my friendship with the Cloud Tiger race, I wouldn't be able to live with the guilt." With that, Su Yu stood up and said, "Princess Qing, that is all I came to say. Our brothers and sisters from the myriad races needn't worry about me. Humanity will always need allies, and people of insight see this clearly! Facing some misunderstanding now is fine; it will be cleared up sooner or later!" "Yes!" Xia Qing nodded emphatically. As Su Yu turned to leave, she spoke up once more, "Brother Su, if you truly run into trouble, you can always come to me..." "No need, we'll talk about it later!" Su Yu waved his hand with a smile. "I'll find my own way. Scamming friends is something I, Su Yu, will never do! If your Dao Protectors could venture out alone and you could lend them to me, I would be eternally grateful. But since they cannot, forget it; I'll figure something else out later!" "Well..." Xia Qing's thoughts raced. *Su Yu wants to venture outside? What for?* *He even wants to borrow powerful experts?* She wanted to probe further, but Su Yu had already pulled up his cloak and swiftly departed. After he left, the two elders reappeared behind her. "Your Highness..." One of them asked in a low voice, "What does Su Yu... mean by this?" Xia Qing smiled. "Whether genuine or feigned, he simply doesn't want to offend us! He came to show goodwill while hoping we will stop acting on his behalf so he isn't put in a difficult spot." The two elders nodded. Yet Xia Qing's focus was elsewhere. She frowned. "He wants to go outside, and even wants to borrow powerful experts... What is he planning to do?" "Your Highness, we cannot leave the premises. If we venture out, neither Principal Wan nor the Great Xia Prefecture will permit it." Xia Qing smiled. "Who says? We can leave to take on missions, provided we are accompanied by human students. When that happens, you two can step outside openly and legitimately!" Hearing this, the two elders protested hurriedly, "Your Highness, absolutely not! Su Yu has offended many people. Venturing outside with him would invite massive trouble and immense danger—otherwise, why would he try to borrow experts in the first place?" "Which is precisely why I am curious!" Xia Qing's eyes flashed. "He knows it's dangerous, yet he still insists on going. Don't you think... there might be something behind it? Grandpas, I've been wondering: Su Yu has progressed so astonishingly fast, unsealing hundreds of apertures in no time. Could he have obtained... some ancient ruin's inheritance?!" Hearing those words, both elders were stunned! "He wants to go outside now. I suspect he might be heading out to claim something, but because it's perilous, he wants to borrow experts for protection!" Xia Qing licked her lips and said, "Grandpas, isn't that the very reason the myriad races take such an interest in humanity?" Ruins! Su Yu might be heading to an ancient ruin! At that realization, absolute silence fell over the room! If he truly was heading to an ancient ruin, this might be their chance—a monumental, heaven-sent opportunity!